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Irvin’s

Salted Egg Crab is it? Irvin’s Live Seafood House it is!

I’ve been on a crab mission here in Singapore as I’ve detailed here, and I’m now putting the spotlight’s on Irvin’s – a cze char restaurant at Upper Thomson Road which has been one of my go-to places for crabs (the delicious kind that is for those with wandering minds 🙂 ).

But first a lesson in Mandarin. Cze char (also known as Zi Char/Tze Char/Zhu Chao) is loosely translated as “cook fry,” affordable home-style cuisine done in lightning speed. Cze char restaurants are mostly those you see in hawker centers but a few are set up with an air-conditioned dining area. Just like Irvin’s Live Seafood House, owned by Irvin Gunawan which I’m dubbing as one of the best places for Salted Egg Crab in the city, and of course for a few other noteworthy dishes.

I am obsessed with the delicious thick sauce of salted egg crabs, and on my guilt-free days I love a good bag of chips (eaten solo of course)! So combining the best of both? Heaven! So once we spotted this on the menu as a starter, we didn’t need much convincing. One please!

If you’re going to have crabs, you must order fried mantou. It’s a given, almost a sin not to. What’s next? Dip it into the sauce of your crab dish of choice –whether it’s Black Pepper Crab, Chili Crab, Salted Egg Crab, or whatever other crab sauce you fancy. Just dive in and hear the sound of the gentle crisp of the mantou as you bite into it. Nom nom…

Now I don’t eat pork but for Irvin’s to dare name this dish as boldly as “Damn Good Pork” they better be sure we’re going to dip into some damn good ones. And I’ve been told it truly is. The crispy battered pork ribs are well marinated and layered with savory butter sauce & curry leaves to taste. And to be too damn sinful, we just had to order the chicken version too below.

As for the vegetable dish we chose, just to have something healthy on the table and make us feel good 🙂 – we had the Damn Crispy Balachan Eggplant. Wasn’t as damn good as the pork or chicken dishes, didn’t wow us as much. The eggplant was too dry for our taste and wasn’t as generous as we thought it would be. I’d definitely skip this one next time around and probably go for the good ol’ trusty Sambal Kangkong.

So on the main event finally – Irvin’s Salted Egg Crab. The thick gravy is heavenly, so much so Irvin’s sells it by the pot so you can take it home. Late night snack maybe? 🙂 But yes I think this dish has lived up to its reputation and the price is also wallet-friendly. But given that, don’t expect to get a plate of meaty crabs at Irvin’s as compared to other seafood houses. But I’m still giving this my two thumbs up!

Jakeena rating: 5/5 food wise, I’ve taken a lot of friends and family who visit and want to get a taste of local dishes here at Irvin’s, and I’ve never had a disappointed customer. 🙂 Although I must admit, I prefer the outdoor dining of Irvin’s at River Valley Road, had more character for a seafood joint. Although people I take who are not exactly fans of the Singapore heat do enjoy chowing down with the cool wind of the air-conditioner blowing them to a food coma. 🙂